War in Ukraine: Zaporizhia at center of tensions, Zhytomyr hit by Russian drones… Update on situation

Moscow and Kiev accused each other this Monday, April 8, of attacking the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine and occasionally targeting it with deadly drone strikes.

The nuclear power plant, Europe's largest with six reactors, was targeted by several drones on Sunday April 7 and then again this Monday by a device whose management was established by Moscow.

“Attempts by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to attack the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant continue“, he said in Telegram, “A kamikaze drone was shot down above a power station“who”fell on the roof“Furnace No. 6, without endangering the installation.

Earlier in the day, a drone belonging to Russian nuclear company Rosatom crashed into a power plant canteen, injuring three people and others on a loading dock and the roof of one of the reactors.

Ukraine, for its part, has accused Russia of broadcasting.lie“The drone attacks on the power station they occupied since March 2022 claimed that it was Russian forces. Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian Center for Combating Disinformation, alleged “A campaign of incitement and falsification“Aimed to convince the Russian people”The threat to plant and nuclear safety comes from Ukraine“.

Andriy Iusov, a Ukrainian intelligence spokesman, accused Moscow of leading the charge.Simulated strikes“.”Nothing to do with the slightest armed provocation inside the Ukraine power plant“, he promised on Sunday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has a team of experts at the site of the plant, condemned this Sunday after the first attack “Big increase” and “a serious incident that could compromise the integrity of furnace control”.

She pointed out that her experts at X had “Today Zaporizhia confirmed the physical impacts of drone strikes on a power plant, including one of its six reactors.“, without mentioning Ukraine by name, according to its director Rafael Croci, was on Sunday “At least three direct impacts on key control structures” plant. Unlike Rosatom, the IAEA reported only one injury.

Russia launched 24 attack drones and damaged infrastructure

Russia launched two dozen attack drones into Ukraine, damaging strategic infrastructure in the central Zhytomyr region and logistics facilities in the south, officials said on Monday (April 8).

Zviahel city council in Ukraine's Zhytomyr region has asked people to stay safe after a Russian airstrike on a critical infrastructure item led to air pollution.

“Russia struck a piece of social infrastructure last night“The city council said on the messaging app Telegram.

“There were no casualties among civilians. There is a direct threat of air pollution right now, so staying indoors with windows closed is recommended.“

Officials did not provide additional details. The Ukrainian Air Force said in a Telegram that its air defenses downed 17 of the 24 Iranian-made Shahed drones used by Russia in its attacks in the Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kirovohrad, Khmelnytskyi and Zhytomyr regions.

A Russian-launched Kh-59 guided missile was destroyed in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Four drones were destroyed, a logistics and transportation facility and a gas station were damaged in the southern Odesa region, Governor Oleh Kiber said. He added that there was no casualty in the attack.

Reuters could not independently verify this information. Russia had no immediate comment.